The internet and the leather scene

There’s a lot of speculation about how life online is changing the way gay men experience community. People used to go out to bars and clubs to meet one another; now they are more likely to meet on ManHunt or Grindr or any of a thousand other places. Flirting and cruising are a bit different when you’re looking at the little screen on your iPhone or laptop rather than looking at the guy across the room.

Is all this better? Worse? Or just…different? The Dallas Observer’s recent article, How The Internet Killed (Or Maybe Just Changed) Dallas’ Leather Scene, explores how those changes have affected one sexual minority community; while not talking exclusively about the gay community, the article is worth a look if you’re interested in how our culture is evolving. (Caution: you probably don’t want to open the article in your workplace.)